1. Field of the Invention
The present invention involves the field of orthotic foot devices used in podiatry, chiropractics, physical therapy, orthopedics, osteopathy, and general health care. More particularly, the present invention concerns a balancing disc for use with footwear items, such as sandals, shoes, insoles and the like and an improved adhesive strip for securing the balancing disc to the footwear item.
2. Prior Art
Orthotic foot devices, or “orthotics”, are used as inserts into footwear to give a user enhanced biomechanical balance and weight distribution during both standing and ambulation. Orthotic foot devices may be either medically prescribed to a precise configuration or an “off the shelf” item which are emplaced within a shoe or other footwear items. Typically, such orthotics comprise a plate in the shape of a plantar part of a human foot plus optional additions, such as wedges, which are secured to the plate, anterior or posterior or both, to create proper alignment and balance of skeletal and muscular body components, thereby providing enhanced balance and weight distribution to the user.
Heretofore, in practice, once installed in a footwear item in attempting to effect proper balance and weight distribution, a skilled technician or practitioner usually would make adjustments to either or both the posterior and anterior areas of the orthotic devices by emplacement of wedges in correct orientation. This is a time consuming task, because of the minute corrections necessary to be made. It is to be, thus, appreciated that there has not been a simple and convenient way for making these necessary adjustments.
A balancing disc or appliance for use with an insole or the like in balancing the gait of a user is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,319, issued Aug. 8, 2000 to Epstein, the Applicant herein, as well as in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/603,222, filed Jun. 26, 2000, the entire disclosures of which are specifically incorporated herein by reference. The balancing disc thereof provides for balance and weight distribution adjustment, and is easily integrated with existing orthotic foot devices as well as into other footwear items or devices. The balancing disc is wedge-shaped, generally circular, and securable to an orthotic device or directly to the footwear item in a plurality of incremental orientations through a 360°. It is securable in both the posterior and anterior portions of an orthotic foot device to provide the requisite adjustment for effecting proper balance and weight distribution. As noted, the balancing disc may be used in conjunction with insoles, orthotics or may be directly attached to a footwear item such as a shoe, sandal, etc.
While suitable for the purposes there intended, there is an ongoing need for improvements. In particular, there is an ongoing need to provide improved positional stability of the orthotic device relative to the foot structure and during ambulation. For example, because many people have abnormal weight distribution, the foot places different loads on the orthotic device. While the aforementioned wedge-shaped disc is adapted to be placed in any desired angle, maintenance of that secured placement, under loads placed thereon by the foot, is critical in maintaining balance.